For many years, the study and treatment of orofacial pain have been considered as separate from the study and treatment of headaches, but the editors of this updated award-winning textbook take the philosophical stance that orofacial pain and headache must be considered together. The authors integrate knowledge across these disciplines to improve diagnostic accuracy and clinical management of chronic pain conditions and foster a beneficial collaboration between headache specialists and orofacial pain experts. The first chapters cover the diagnostic process, psychosocial modifying factors, and the anatomy and neurophysiology of the trigeminal nerve, but the bulk of the book is given over to a comprehensive review of the major clinical families of craniofacial pain. In this new edition, the authors place a focus on presenting clinical features and outlining treatment strategies, and the clinical case reports offer insight into the complexity of orofacial pain diagnosis and management.
Because pharmacotherapy remains the primary treatment for most craniofacial pain, two chapters detail the pharmacology, efficacy, and side effects of commonly used drugs, although treatment options for neurosurgical and complementary and alternative medicine are also included. Finally, a new chapter addressing facial pain, headache, and sleep provides much-needed insight to this often-overlooked topic. The authors interweave an impressive body of scientific evidence with solid clinical experience to provide a timely and instructive addition to the pain literature.